Neil Young slams Trump's use of his songs at Mount Rushmore speech (original) (raw)

Published on July 4, 2020 12:00PM EDT

Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images;

President Donald Trump has once again aroused the wrath of a popular musician.

Two Neil Young songs — "Rockin’ in the Free World" and "Like a Hurricane" — were heard playing before Trump's Fourth of July speech at Mount Rushmore on Friday. Observers on Twitter noted the use of the songs, and Young soon voiced his displeasure on his official account, also voicing his support for the Lakota Sioux tribe. Mount Rushmore was carved into a mountain in South Dakota's Black Hills after the U.S. government seized the land from the Lakota in the 1870s.

"This is NOT ok with me," Young tweeted, before adding, "I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me."

This is not the first time Trump has run afoul of this particular musician. Back in 2015, the president used “Rockin’ in the Free World" to accompany the announcement of his candidacy. Young released a statement claiming Trump was not authorized to use the song.

Young, who became an American citizen earlier this year, has also been an outspoken critic of the president. He recently penned an open letter in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, writing, "[Trump] is, in the end, just a poor leader who is building walls around our house. I believe he will be powerless soon... That sorry man will not destroy the American Dream." Young also modified the lyrics of his protest song "Lookin' for a Leader" to criticize Trump during a recent virtual concert.

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